The present invention relates generally to a percussion igniter, and more particularly to a percussion igniter of the type which detonates a firing cap that in turn starts a cord-type fuse burning.
It is known from the prior art to provide percussion igniters of this type in which the entire construction is of metal and therefore heavy and expensive. Moreover, the igniter of the prior art is not watertight; it is coated with a lacquer and in order to operate this igniter the head of the same is screwed off in order to gain access to the ripcord which must be pulled to operate the igniter. As this is done, the lacquer breaks off and water can enter into the interior of the igniter. If for any reason the igniter has been made ready for use by unscrewing its cap, then the igniter will remain unsealed even though the cap has been screwed back on.
Moreover, this prior-art construction has a firing pin the free end of which, i.e. the end which is to impact the percussion cap, has only two contact faces for engagement with the percussion cap and it has been observed that this is not sufficient to absolutely guarantee impacting upon the percussion cap in such a manner that the latter will always and under all circumstances be detonated.
Finally, the prior-art igniter also has the further disadvantage that the cord-type fuse is not well mounted. It extends through a flexible tube which is compressed by turning a threaded sleeve; experience has shown that this arrangement is neither reliably sealed nor mechanically reliable, since the sleeve can accidentally become unthreaded.